Lint filter for washing machine

ABSTRACT

A self-compacting lint filter for a domestic clothes washer is connected in a recirculating liquid system adjacent the access opening of the washer for ready detachment of the filter from the washer for manual cleaning thereof. The filter has a rotatable nozzle in a mesh bag. The nozzle rotates in response to the recirculation of liquid and sprays liquid through the bag to collect lint on the inside thereof. As the nozzle rotates, the collected lint is flushed downwardly by the circling spray toward the bottom of the bag, thereby to self-clean collected lint from the sidewall of the bag during recirculation while compacting said lint into an easily manually removable wad at the bottom of the bag when the filter is detached for cleaning thereof.

lliiited States atent Smith Nov. 6, 1973 LINT FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINE Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerPhilip R. Coe [75] Inventor Roy Smlth Dayton Ohm Attorney-William S. Pettigrew et al. [73] Assignee: General Motors Corporation,

Detroit, Mich. 22 Filed: July 14, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [211 App}. 271,784 A self-compacting lint filter for a domestic clothes washer is connected in a recirculating liquid system adjacent the access opening of the washer for ready de- [52] US. Cl. 68/18 F, 134/104, 210/167, tachmem f the filter from the washer for manual 210/409 cleaning thereof. The filter has a rotatable nozzle in a {5 l Int. Cl. D061 39/10 mesh bag The nozzle rotates in response to the recircw [58] Field of Search 68/18 F; 134/104; lation ofliquid and Sprays liquid through the bag to 1 210/167 409 lect lint on the inside thereof. Asthe nozzle rotates, the collected lint is flushed downwardly by the circling 1 i References Cited spray toward the bottom of the bag, thereby to self- UNITED STATES PATENTS clean collected lint from the sidewall of the bag during 2,536,087 1 1951 Powers et a1. 68/18 F recirculation While Compacting Said into an easily 090 391 5/19 3 Kamenbcrg at manually removable wad at the bottom of the bag when 3,398,556 8/1968 Dupeux the filter is detached for cleaning thereof. 3,491,780 1/1970 Kaldenberg 134/104 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented Nov. 6, 1973 3,769,818

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Nov, 6, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 6, 1973 3,769,818

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 LINT FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINE This invention relates to a recirculating type domes tic clothes washer and, more particularly, to an improved lint filter therefor.

In prior clothes washer art, lint is removed from recirculating washing liquid by pumping the liquid in one direction through a filter. Such filters tend to uniformly clog with lint and, as they do, the flow of recirculating liquid is restricted. This invention is directed to a filter which during recirculation, compacts the collected lint into one portion of the filter so that the rest of the filter remains self-cleaned of collected lint thereby to present an unclogged filtering surface to the recirculating water.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved lint filter positioned in an easily detachable position adjacent the access opening of a domestic clothes washer.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a lint filter comprising an elongated open top mesh bag surrounding a rotatable spray device in an upper portion of the bag, the spray device when rotating in response to recirculating liquid serving to flush collected lint from the sidewall of the bag into a compacted wad at the bottom of the bag.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a lint filter comprising an elongated open top mesh bag surrounding a rotatable spray device in an upper portion of the bag, the spray device when rotating in response to recirculating liquid serving to flush collected lint from the sidewall of the bag into a compacted wad at the bottom of the bag, said spray device being in the form of a trifurcate nozzle to provide jets of liquid tangentially oriented with respect to said sidewall.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a lint filter comprising an open top mesh bag to collect lint from recirculating washing'liquid and an open top water diffuser within an upper portion of the bag and downstream of a supply of said recirculating liquid to receive said liquid and distribute same in the form of a tangential stream over the inside of the bag for flushing collected lint from the sidewall of the bag downwardly into a compacted wad at the bottom of the bag at the same time the stream is passing through the sidewall for filtering lint therefrom.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of a domestic clothes washing machine with its access door open to illustrate the location of the lint filter of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in ele'vation taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1 to show a first embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in elevation taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 2 to show the rotatable nozzle of said first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view partly in elevation of a recirculating type domestic clothes washer incorporating this invention;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view partly in elevation of a second embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view partly in elevation taken along line 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the spray device in bottom elevation and taiten along line 7-7 in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing an arrangement for rotably supporting the spray device of FIG. 5.

With reference now to FIGS. I and 4, the environment of this invention in a domestic clothes washer 10 will now be described. The clothes washer includes a cabinet 12 enclosing a tub assembly 14 and a timer I5 for controlling an automatic clothes washing cycle. The tub assembly includes an imperforate outer water container 16 adapted to contain a level of washing liquid 17 and a perforate spin basket 18 therein. An agitator 20 is disposed within the spin basket 18 for agitating the clothes during a clothes washing cycle.

The tub assembly 14 is mounted on a suspension system shown generally at 22 and more fully taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,] l8, granted Feb. 3, 1970. The agitator 20 and the spin basket 18 are connected to a drive mechanism shown generally at 24.. The drive mechanism may be of a roller drive type taught mor fully in US. Pat. NO. 3,087,321, granted Apr. 30, 1963. In general, mechanism 24 may beoperated in one manner to vertically reciprocate or oscillate the agitator 20 for washing clothes in the tub assembly. When the mechanism is operated in another manner, the spin basket 18 is rotated with respect to the water container 16 for centrifuging water from the clothers in the spin basket.

The water recirculation system will now be described. The water container 16 includes a bottom outlet 30 and an open top access opening 32. A recirculating pump 36 withdraws washing water or liquid from the water container 16 through the bottom outlet 30 and by means of recirculating conduits or hoses 40 and 42 returns the washing liquid to the water container at a rate of five gallons per minute. The purpose of recirculation is to remove lint and other sediment or particulate matter from the recirculating washing liquid. For this purpose, a lint filter is included and shown generally at 50. Lint filtered from the washing liquid during the recirculation portion of an automatic wash cycle is compacted in lint filter 50, the sidewall of which is thus effectively self-cleaned in accordance with the teachings of my invention.

The drain system for the clothes washer includes a drain pump 52 for pumping washing liquid from the water container 16 through its bottom outlet 30 and by means of drain conduits or hoses 54 and 56 to a remote drain.

Both the recirculation pump 36 and the drain pump 52 are operated by a common reversible power shaft 60. The shaft is driven by a belt takeoff 62 from a reversible motor 64 of drive mechanism 24. When the drive mechanism is operating in a manner to reciprocate the agitator 20, the power shaft is rotated in a direction to cause the recirculation pump 36 to recirculate washing liquid. When the drive mechanism 24 is operating in a manner to rotate the spin basket in a centrifuging operation, the power shaft 60 is reversed to cause the drain pump 52 to pump the washing liquid to drain.

Turning now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, lint filter 50 is shown generally supported beneath the annular subtop '70 of the water container to adjacent access opening 32. The filter has a collar 72 with upstanding yieldable fingers 74 which snap into an annular groove 75 on a filter and nozzle support 76. The filter is pulled downwardly to release the fingers from the groove. Then the filter is removed through the access opening 32 for manual cleaning thereof. To return the filter, the collar 72 is grasped and the filter forced upwardly until fingers 74 again snap into groove 75.

More particularly, and with reference to FIG. 2, the subtop 70 is shown with support 76 bolted to the underside thereof. Attached to the support by the aforementioned fingers 74 is a lint filter bag 86 of polyester screen having a 68 X 72 mesh sufficiently strong to pass the volume of recirculating liquid without tearing.

The outlet hose 42 of the recirculating system includes a recirculation hose adapter 88 connected to the support 76. Support 76 includes an integral shaft 90 depending into the filter bag 86 for rotatably supporting a recirculation nozzle 92. The nozzle at its outlet end is trifuracated in that there are three heads 94, 96 and 98 oriented with respect to the adapter 88 so that the jets issuing therefrom cause the nozzle to rotate when liquid is being recirculated to the inlet end 99 of the nozzle. The outlet of each head is oriented with respect to the sidewall 100 of the filter bag so that recirculating liquid is sprayed through the sidewall for filtering contaminants from the recirculating liquid. The outlet of each head is also oriented with respect to the sidewall 100 so that liquid is sprayed along the inside thereof in a manner to cause a constant downward flushing of collected lint toward the bottom 102 of the filter bag. This continuous flushing action causes the collected lint to compact into a wad 104 along the bottom of the bag. It should be understood that sidewall 100 of the filter bag is sufficiently elongated that the continual downward flushing action self-cleans the sidewall in the area where the jets impinge throughout a normal recirculation cycle of about 30 minutes. A suitable filter bag may be three inches in diameter and four and one half inches long.

Another embodiment 50' of this invention is shown in FIGS. 5,6, 7 and 8. The main difference between the aforementioned embodiment and the one now to be described is the use of an open top diffuser as a spray device instead of a closed nozzle. More particularly, subtop 70 is shown adapted with embossments 106, 116 to receive a filter support around an opening 112 in the subtop. The opening is in alignment with an end l 14 of the recirculating hose 42. The support is circular in shape with an outer flange 118 through which a screw 119 fastens into embossment 106. A ledge 122 at the bottom of the support relatively rotatably receives the filter bag assembly 124.

The filter bag assembly includes a circular support portion or collar 126 and a mesh bag 128 about 3 inches in diameter and 4% inches long. The circular collar 126 includes tabs 130 adapted to slip through notches 132 in the ledge 122 so that the entire filter bag assembly 124 may then be rotated relative to support 110 by handle 136 to cam the assembly into attached relationship with the support.

A U-shaped diffuser pivot 140 is fastened as at 142 to the subtop 70 and includes an upright spindle 146 to rotatably support an open top diffuser 150. Spindle 146 slips into a loosely overfitting socket 147. The inverted socket provides a protective recess so that accumulations of lint in rotative joints will not retard rotation of the diffuser. On the top of diffuser 150 is a pyramidalshaped spreader portion 154 lying just below the end 114 of the recirculation hose and forming the inlet to said diffuser. Diffuser 150 at its outlet end has three chutes or heads 160, 162 and 164 each with declining ramps 165 aimed generally tangentially at sidewall 168 of the mesh bag 128 and so oriented with respect to the spindle 146 that recirculating liquid falling on the spreader 154 will cause the diffuser to rotate.

Liquid from hose end 114 is equally divided by spreader 154 into the three open top chutes 160, 162 and 164. This liquid is projected from the chutes in the form of three streams through the sidewall 168 of the filter bag. Lint is collected on the inside of the bag and the lint thus collected is continually flushed downwardly along the sidewall for self-cleaning the sidewall. The streams from the chutes are so oriented with respect to the sidewall that lint is pushed downwardly ahead of the stream in a manner that keeps the sidewall clean and unclogged. This lint is gradually compacted into a wad in the bottom portion 170 of the filter bag. Here, again, the sidewall 168 is sufficiently elongated to accommodate approximately a 30-minute recirculation cycle during clothes washing. Moreover, the selfcleaning of the sidewall assures that the recirculating liquid will be properly filtered and the filter bag will not overflow.

The lint filter assembly 124 may be removed periodically from the washer by pivoting handle 136. After the filter is removed, the bag is turned inside out and the compact wad of lint is easily removed.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an inlet end adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and an outlet end having a plurality of recirculation heads adapted to spray the recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation heads being oriented with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, said recirculation heads being oriented with respect to said sidewall to flush thedeposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to selfclean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access openmg.

2. In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an inlet end adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and an outlet end having a plurality of recirculation nozzles adapted to spray a jet of recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation nozzles being oriented in a trailing jet mode with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, said recirculation nozzles being oriented tangentially with respect to said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall-thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.

3. In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an open top and spreader adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and a plurality of open top recirculation chutes adapted to spray a stream of recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation chutes being oriented with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in; response to recirculating liquid, each of said recirculation chutes being oriented with respect to said sidewall with a declining ramp aimed generally tangentially toward said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.

4. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein said support includes an upright pointed spindle and said spray means includes a downwardly opening socket loosely overfitting said spindle for rotation thereon, the socket providing a protective recess for said spindle so that accumulations of lint will not retard rotation of said spray means. 

1. In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an inlet end adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and an outlet end having a plurality of recirculation heads adapted to spray the recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation heads being oriented with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, said recirculation heads being oriented with respect to said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.
 2. In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an inlet end adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and an outlet end having a plurality of recirculation nozzles adapted to spray a jet of recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation nozzles being oriented in a trailing jet mode with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, said recirculation nozzles being oriented tangentially with respect to said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.
 3. In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an open top and spreader adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and a plurality of open top recirculation chutes adapted to spray a stream of recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation chutes being oriented with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, each of said recirculation chutes being oriented with respect to said sidewall with a declining ramp aimed generally tangentially toward said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.
 4. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein said support includes an upright pointed spindle and said spray means includes a downwardly opening socket loosely overfitting said spindle for rotation thereon, the socket providing a protective recess for said spindle so that accumulations of lint will not retard rotation of said spray means. 